Hamato Family Journal
by Venka le fay
Summary: While living with the Turtles, Splinter gives April a family journal that he and his sons have been writing so that she may begin to understand their lives better.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT or anything related.

April sighed and rolled over onto her stomach. It was sweet of the Turtles to let her have use of this room during her stay here. She did admit that she wouldn't have put it past Donatello to offer her his room, and he did seem rather disappointed that he wasn't able to do so.

Fortunately he didn't say anything in regards to that and she was grateful that she was able to have her own space at least. The space wasn't very big; it was largely a section of the Dojo that could be walled off with a folding screen. Splinter and perhaps Leo had also made sure she a she had a small futon which was folded on the floor along with bed sheets, blankets, and a pillow. The room also had a small dresser that could double as a table or desk. And a small rice paper box lantern also sat on the floor beside the dresser. The folding screen that normally covered the door had a small hook and eye latch so it could be locked for her privacy.

Due to the size of the room she had to be choosy about what she would have to pack and bring with her. The shared toilet was formerly a men's public restroom back when this place had been a subway station. This didn't bother April too much as men and women did use the same facilities to a certain extent. But the original women's toilet was now the shower/bath. April had been given a choice of what they would do about the use of the bathing room. The options were that they could schedule certain times of day where she could use the bath, such as the Turtles and Splinter were free to use it during the hours with odd numbers and April was free to use the bath during the even numbered hours. April however said that since it was just her she would let the showers remain open to the Turtles, and would just wear a swim suit when she bathed.

Now it was time for the hard stuff, Donnie had hacked into her father's email and fabricated a notice saying that he was taking April on an out of country trip and she would be gone the rest of the school year. That would keep the school off her case; however she still didn't want to be forced to repeat sophomore year. Imagine explaining to her Aunt and her friends at school that she flunked 10th grade due to a race of brain shaped aliens that wanted to mutate the Earth and somehow she fit into their dastardly plans. Heck half the stuff she had experienced in the past several months since meeting the Turtles would have her fitted for a strait-jacket and a one way ticket to the Bellevue mental hospital.

Her school mates didn't know anything about the abduction, which was fortunate but at the same time irritating. They would go home have dinner with their families, their parents. None of them knowing April was coming home to a lonely apartment. A number of them if they had known would have commented about lucky she was and that they would have killed to have their parents suddenly disappear because it meant they could do as they wished without someone getting on their case. April however felt the opposite; they didn't know how lucky they were to know they could come home to their families while she had a father she might never see again.

Her Aunt fortunately was more understanding and felt it would do more harm than good to remove April from her school and friends. Besides it could give April life experience in what it would be like to be living on her own and learn adult responsibilities such as paying bills. April agreed though there was the problem of the fact she only fifteen nearly sixteen. She wasn't old enough to have a paying job. Fortunately her father had trusted her enough to let her know she could access his bank account and emergency credit cards so that she would be able to cover any essential needs if anything happened to him. So that covered bills, her Aunt would also wire her money every month so she can get groceries and other necessities. And of course she had taken the responsibility to inform her father's employers as to her father's disappearance. Fortunately they had heard of scientists getting abducted all over the city by a group of unknowns and were sorry this had happened to him. His colleges had also begun sending her what money they could to help cover things until her father was found. And the families of some of these people were nice enough to bring casseroles or cookies as a form of comfort for the first few months.

April had emailed her teachers and told them she would be absent for a while and wanted to have the class assignments emailed to her to which they were happy to oblige. Donnie had offered some text books he had to help her with her class assignments which she accepted, even if she knew it was only so it could make him happy. Besides she felt she could learn more from Donnie, then listening to a teacher drone on about such and such any day. She had discovered this when she had picked up the book on trigonometry had found Donnie's hand writing scribbled in the margins of the pages or on note pages paper clipped inside the book itself. And similar was done with the other books as well. In many cases theorizing, debating, and in some cases debunking various theories that were common knowledge to most people, April almost believed that Donnie could give some college professors a run for their money.

There was a light knock at the wall screen leading into the dojo, which meant it was none other than Splinter. The guys would normally come from the entry way that faced the kitchen. At least Leo and Donnie at least had the decency to knock on the screen first. Mikey was a bit different as he would saunter in as if he was entering one of his brothers rooms. April didn't want to think the smaller turtle was hit on his head one to many times as small child, but with brothers like Raph…you did have a to wonder. April guessed it had to do with their sheltered upbringing. The closest exposure they've ever had to an actual girl before they had met her was more than likely through the TV, which could explain some of Donnie's obvious attempts at flirting with her when they had first met. Fortunately he had grown into less of a love starved puppy, which was more then she could say about some the guys at her school. Opening the screen door she greeted the Rat Master with a polite smile.

"Is there something I can do for you Sensei?' April asked.

"I was wondering if you cared to join me for some tea?" Splinter requested. April gladly obliged, after all the changes in her life she felt she needed a fatherly figure in her life at that moment. The two of them settled at a low table as Splinter poured out the tea for them.

"I hope you haven't had any problems settling in." Splinter said as he handed one cup to her before filling the second.

"I like the room you guys have set up for me." April answered. "It's nice."

"I'm glad." Splinter said. "I know this is a huge change for you April, and not an easy one."

"I suppose so." April said looking into the steaming greenish brown liquid. "But you guys are doing all this for my safety, you wouldn't have asked me to live with you if I wasn't wanted by the Kraang." Splinter slowly nodded.

"That and the fact the Shredder had sent Karai after you." The mutant rat stated. "By doing so, it means he has learned that you have a connection to us and so you could be used as a weapon against us. And while you were fortunate enough to escape Karai this time…she will not be not so easily fooled on your next encounter."

"I guess." April sighed. "I hope my being here doesn't disrupt your lives too much." Splinter cocked his head at the comment. April blushed slightly since she didn't want it to sound like she was ungrateful. "I mean, well I'm used to living with a man because the only parent I've really known is my father. But this is the first time the guys have had someone female living with them."

"So you think that your presence might be awkward for us?" Splinter asked stroking the beard like wisp of fur that hung from his chin.

"We'll yeah," April agreed. "I mean I'm still a stranger in your lives, I know about you guys as much as I you know about me…but there is still much I don't know or understand about how all of you have been living here."

"I think I know something that can help." Splinter said as he got up and walked into his bed chamber. Coming out he handed April a soft leader bound journal. April took the book relishing the smell of the leather and old parchment in her hands, the plush like feel of the cover. Her fingers feeling an imperfection in the spine which she realized was the numeral for 1 scratched into the leather. "This is a journal I've been keeping of our lives here and when my sons were old enough to learn how to write they also have added their words to this journal. You are welcome to read it."

"Me…?" April gasped surprised he would let her read something so precious.

"We have come to see you as part of this family April." Splinter said. "The memories contained in this book are precious, and perhaps maybe it is time someone knows our story. And you are welcome to add your own stories to this as well.

Returning to her room, April looked at the leather bound book in her hands. According to Splinter these journals extended until recently when the Turtles had first journeyed to the surface. She felt honored by the trust they had in her about this. But at the same time she wondered if she was worthy of learning about Turtles.

Flipping open the book, her eyes traced the elegant script of Splinter's handwriting and began to read.

**Yes, I'm doing a family journal fic. I do have some ideas for stories lined up, and if anyone has any suggestions for things in the turtles lives I'd be happy to consider them. I'll give you full credit and thanks for the idea regardless of whether I decide to use it or not. Thanks for reading. **


	2. Chapter 2

[Splinter]

So begins a new chapter in my life. It has been two months since my old friend Oroku Saki has destroyed and taken all I loved.

Many years ago, Oroku Saki and I had been friends and we viewed ourselves as brothers. That all changed we met Tang Shen, my beloved wife. We both loved her and would endlessly fight over her and when it became apparent that Tang Shen had chosen me as her lover, Oroku Saki could not accept it. Consumed with jealousy he would viciously attack my beloved and myself. At first he would say many thing rude things to me, things I felt could not go unanswered, if not for my honor then for the honor of my beloved.

The verbal attacks became more violent when Saki learned a truth about his origin, and became mad with hatred and betrayal. I tried to reason with him, trying to reach the man who I had loved as a brother, trying to hope that our past and the friendship we had shared would be enough for him to let go of his desire for vengeance. But sadly it was not enough and he vowed to wipe away the stain that I have left on his honor.

Days passed, then months, Tang Shen and I married and not long after we were blessed with a beautiful baby girl, we named Miwa. In truth I should have worried more about my friends vow, perhaps left Japan to begin new lives elsewhere. But we were happy with our new lives and as the months passed I began to hope that I had seen the last of Oroku Saki.

Then one tragic night, evil came to the doors of my home in the form of Oroku Saki. He had joined my clans enemy, the Foot Clan. Quickly rising through the ranks and becoming its leader, armed with a tagaki he attacked and slashed at me. I was able to match him blow for blow, we had trained side by side for years and I knew how impulsive his strikes were, it was one of his weaknesses. I don't recall if it was intentional or not, but one of Oroku's tagaki sliced through a nearby candle. The burning lump of wax hitting a valuable wall scroll setting it ablaze the fire traveling to the wall devouring everything in its path with choking smoke and ash. My worries at once turned not only to my wife and infant daughter, but to my parents. Both my mother and father were old and frail, and both were asleep further in the house. I struggled to yell for Tang Shen to take Miwa and run, but the smoke caught in my throat forcing me to choke in a horse cough. I could hear Miwa screaming and crying in the smoky room, Oroku Saki suddenly launched himself at me in a strike that would have been fatal had Tang Shen not jumped in front of me and taken the blow.

My former friend was stunned and horrified for a moment, and I prayed that he had realized what disaster his madness had caused. However his eyes landed on me and narrowed with pure hatred.

"She dies because of you, Hamato Yoshi!" He hissed venomously. "If you had let her be mine, then she would still live."

"She wasn't yours." I choke out as the building around us continues to burn, I could hear Miwa's cries grow fainter, she was becoming exhausted with the heat of the fire, and the smoke was entering her fragile lungs.

I needed to get my child out of the building, and my parents, was it too late for them. The fire was eating its way through threw the wooden structure of the building as if it was a tinderbox. The smoke is blinding and stinging my eyes. There was a crashing sound as the roof began to give way. I try to search for Miwa and kept my senses alert for Oroku Saki. He was still here, concealed in the smoke. Suddenly I see him; I strike out impaling him in the side. The blow isn't enough to kill him, but it is enough to immobilize him before the ceiling crashed down upon us.

When I regain consciousness I am covered in rubble, I can no longer hear Miwa and my heart clenches as I fear the worst. Forcing my way through the rubble my eyes sting with the fire, ash, and smoke. My lungs burn painfully, but I soon reach fresh air. As my eyes begin to clear I can make out the figure of Oroku Saki walking away clutching the wound at his side. His hair is gone, burned off in the fire and his face looks heavily scarred with burns. I wanted to run at him, make him pay for what he had done. But I no longer have the strength to. All I can do is scream towards him in rage and anguish as he walks away. I can hear the fire department trucks arriving before I lose consciousness.

When I wake again, I have an oxygen mask over my face while several medical technicians are trying to talk to me. I at once sit up and look around, several feet away is the body of my beloved Tang Shen and beside her, my parents. Much to the protests of the people around me I crawl to them. The throats of my mother and father were slit, no doubt ambushed in their sleep to prevent them from aiding me against the Shredder. But it was Tang Shen that my eyes landed on; her body burnt and disfigured by the fire, at once I cradle her in my arms and sob bitter tears into her chest. I don't beg her to come back, because I know she has already left to join my parents in the next world. I do not see Miwa, but her little body would have burned to ash in the inferno.

* * *

In following days I was taken to the hospital. I had been kept on around the clock watch as I had little desire to live. Everything I loved was gone, my home, my family, my clan. I was not Hamato Yoshi, I was just the remaining splinter of what had once been the Hamato clan.

I longed for death to take me so I can be with my beloved wife and daughter in the next world. But yet, there was a desire that did keep me alive. A desire for vengeance a desire to see Oroku Saki -or the Shredder as he was calling himself now -to pay for what he has done, a desire to see him suffer for what he had done to my wife and innocent child.

* * *

A week ago, I had moved away from Japan and start my life over in America. Using my families' fortune, I leased a bachelor's apartment in New York. In time I know I am going to need to consider marriage eventually, or at least finding students that I can pass my families ninja arts to. But for now the loss of my wife and daughter are a festering sore in my heart and to seek out the heart of another is a disservice to Tang Shen's memory. There is no replacing her and the only treasures I have to remind me of them are the photo of Tang Shen and me when we were together and in love, the traditional photo that was taken of us just days after Miwa was born. And lastly the tessen I had personally forged for my daughter and presented to her once she had come of age as a Kunoichi.

At this time, I am looking through the classified ads for employment, hopefully a martial arts school in need of a new instructor. My eyes land on an ad for a nearby pet shop that is offering a sale on turtles. I consider it a while, this apartment does allow pets so long as they aren't cats or dogs. Turtles were also long lived animals and symbolized immortality, perhaps this is a sign from my wife and child for me to live for them.


	3. Chapter 3

[Splinter]

Through a strange sequence of events I have found myself blessed with four turtles who I can no longer call my pets, but my sons.

I had stopped at the pet store to see what they had as far as turtles. The pet store was filled with children, a number of them had jars with turtles, others had rabbits, rats, a birds, and other animals as ready to be bought. I eyed the tank where the Turtles were and found only four remaining. One sat on a large rock in the tank surveying everything like a Japanese daimyo. A second one looked about aggressively; a third one was nudging the second one playfully which caused the second one to round on him and snap threateningly. And a final one was curled alone and seemingly forgotten on a rock in a corner of the tank. Quietly studying my reflection in a small pool of water as if it could feel something was linking us together. As is this seemly chance meeting was meant to be.

I was a little hesitant as the number four not a lucky number, in Japan and China the number was often considered being associated with death. I supposed I could have taken two, but I couldn't decide which two I wanted as there was something I liked in all four of them. Finally I decided to just buy the four of them, and paid fifty American dollars.

The four turtles were grouped together in their glass bowls the playful one had rolled onto its back and was pitifully shaking its little legs in the air as it tried to right itself. Once I got home I was going to have to figure names for them and figure out other things about them such as their gender. I was too busy regarding my new pets as I carefully made my way back to my apartment I didn't notice the gentleman before me until his shoulder knocked into mine.

The man regarded me with a dour expression that lent no honesty in his words as he spoke in a strange pattern of speech.

"Kraang offers the apology that is known as sorry." The man said and walked away. It was clear the person was speaking in English, but that was the most peculiar form of English that I have heard. Common sense told me to let the matter go and just return home with my pets, but instinct told me there was something not right about this person. There was something dangerous and inhuman about him.

I at once followed him; I want to know who this man is and what he is doing. The subject of my interest leads me into an alleyway. The buildings block out the day light and the lateness of the day make the shadows longer. This makes it easier for me to blend in the shadows, but harder for me to see my quarry. He comes to a stop and is joined by another man who looks exactly like him. This one is holds out a container containing a viscous green fluid. I can't make out what they are saying except that whatever they are talking in the weird stilted speech.

I move forward a little and strain to listen to what these two men are saying to each other. I don't even notice my where my feet are stepping before I hear a loud shriek. Looking down I find I have just stepped on the tail of a large brown and white rat. The rodent continues to screech indignantly before I lift my foot and allow it to run away. Unfortunately it the noise has also caught the attention of the men and they look in my direction. Both of their faces are devoid of emotion and offering me no way to gauge what they were thinking. Two other men approach me from behind, both of them strangely identical to the men before me.

"Go no further," One of the strange men said in his strange stilted speech as they approached. "This place is a place you are not allowed to be in this place."

"We have been seen in this place by you, so this will not be a place that will be left by you." Another of the men says. My mind fell not to my survival, but the survival of my new pets. So I fought the men that approached me. They were easily defeated but then I felt something wet and burning landed on me. The container one of the men was holding had broken open spilling its contents all over the ground and on me. Unconsciously I dropped the glass bowl that contained my new pets as I felt my body erupt in pain and I screamed. It was like every injury I had experienced over my life time was flaring to life again and they were on fire. The feeling was unbearable and it felt like I would die. My flesh bubbled and boiled as it reformed itself into something inhuman, my bones and muscles stretched and realigned. I longed for death; I wanted to die just so the pain and suffering would end. Finally after what felt like an eternity the suffering was over but the pain still burned.

I groaned as each of my nerve endings flared in agony, I had no idea what I had become but I knew that whatever it was, I was no longer human. I was less than human…no I was something other than human. My hearing had grown sharper do to the transformation…I could hear voice in the distance.

"The screams sounded like they were coming from this way." A voice said.

"Should we call 911?" Another voice said.

I knew I couldn't stay where I was, humans would find me and I would be arrested. Taken somewhere and locked in a cage to be studied and experimented on. That's when another sound registered to my ears, the sound of crying…small children crying. Painfully I opened my eyes and found myself staring at the turtles I had bought, and like me they had changed. They were no longer tiny shelled creatures but had grown in size. They were the size of human toddlers possibly around the age range 8-11 months old, all of them looking about them in fear. They were too young to understand what had just happened or why. And if the pain of the transformation was agonizing to me, then it must have been excruciating for them. To come into the world of sentient thought and the first experience is inexplicable pain.

Hearing footsteps coming closer I knew I didn't have time to dwell on what happened. I had to get out of here…but I couldn't just leave the little ones behind. At once I scooped two of them into my arms and jumped to a fire escape, I jumped back to get the other two and hurried up the fire escaped to the roof.

I glanced down to see two police officers approaching the alley way. Slowly the two scour the alley way, and pause by the shredded remains of my clothes, finding my wallet…my identification.

The baby turtles squirm in my arms as I step backwards from the edge of the roof and hide in the shadow of a large billboard. I set the infants down on the tar paper before sitting down with them. When the sun sets I would have to risk going back to my apartment and figure out what I should do next. The police won't search there, at least not yet. They would try and seek any next of kin I might have before they go to the media about my disappearance. But for now this is a place I can be safe. Slowly I begin to examine the turtle children before me. On the outside they resembled normal turtles. But they were the size of human infants and acted in the same manner.

The four of them shivered under the darkness of the billboard. This was unsurprising as it was early fall and the weather would be getting colder, especially as day progressed to night. I picked up the smallest one in my arms, he squirmed and fussed as I did so. But when he looked at me he stopped and looked up at me for a second before smiling and cooing happily. He lightly grabbed hold of my fingers enabling me to get a good look at his hands. They were larger than a normal human infants roughly maybe two sizes larger. Each hand ending in three digits, their feet were similar in they were larger than a normal infants and had three toes on each foot. However the difference is that their feet were flat and more ovoid in appearance then a normal human foot.

The little one in my arms had eyes that were the brightest sky blue I had ever seen with freckles dotting the sides of his face. The others were had their own characteristics as well. One had skin that was a slightly deeper shade then his companions and deep blue eyes. Right now he was pulling himself into his shell in an effort to keep warm. The grouchy looking one with green eyes shivered too, but surveyed everything about him disapprovingly. I suddenly felt someone touching me glancing down I saw the fourth child clutching the worm like appendage that was coming from my back side. He was the only dark eyed one among them. The child looked up from where he was studying my tail before ducking as if believing it could conceal him from my gaze, and shyly looked up at me. I wasn't familiar with how to use a tail, but instinct seemed to take over as I slipped it from his grasp and held out my hand to him instead. The child hesitated at first and just looked at the boney four fingered hand curiously before cautiously approaching it taking the hand in his own three fingered ones and studying it as though trying to commit every detail to memory.

A small hand on my knee caused me to look down and see the one with dark blue eyes looks at me. His little face asking if I was someone he could trust. Glancing at the sky, I noticed it had darkened enough for me to return to my apartment. I couldn't carry the four of them in my arms all the way there however; if I did I could accidentally hurt one. I need to find a way to secure them to my body and still keep me free to move. That's when I noticed the sheets on the roof clothes lines, those could work. Getting to my feet I took one of the sheets and tied the two blue eyed ones on two my right side. While the dark eyed one and green eyed one were tied to my left. Even with them secured I couldn't use my training as a ninja master to carry them over the roof tops. I had to be careful, gentle.

Gingerly I made my way down a fire escape, keeping to the shadows of the buildings alley ways, until I could see the familiar walls of my apartment building. It felt strange that was breaking into my own home as I scurried animalisticly up the side of the building and broke open the window before undoing the latch so I could open it.

Undoing the makeshift harnesses and being mindful of the broken glass lowered the little ones into the apartment before I climbed in myself. Grabbing a broom I swept up the broken glass and throwing it in the trash so the baby turtles didn't think it was something to play with or worse eat. The best thing I could do right now was make sure the Turtles are warm and asleep before I figured out the next step.

Walking to the bathing room turned on the shower to warmish temperature. Not too warm, but not cold either, it was here that I finally caught sight of myself in the mirror. My face had elongated into something more rodent like and my naked body was covered in bristly brown and white hairs. I had become a rat, a hideous oversized rat. Going to my room I grabbed the crimson robe that bore my clans crest. It was the only thing in my possessions that fit me. Returning to the living room I grabbed the little one with the light blue eyes and the grouchy one with the green eyes. The green eyed one fussed and complained about the bath water but the other one splashed and laughed. Once I was sure they were clean I toweled them off put them on my futon bed before I drained and refilled the tub once again.

The two other infants were sitting in the living room. The dark blue eyed one had climbed onto the couch while the dark eyed one stood at the low table examining one of my banzai. As I entered the room, they both looked up at me as if asking "Is it our turn now?" At once I scooped them both into my arms and carried them to the bath and washed them as I had the other two before taking them and placing them with their brothers (And I was certain they were all boys at this point). The four of them settled together on the bed while I stepped away to figure out some food for them. They were physically old enough to eat solid foods, but still children's tastes had to be simple. Looking through the cabinets I settled on some rice cooked with chicken broth with some shredded chicken. Washing the rice and setting it into the rice cooker added the chicken broth a few with a little soy sauce for flavor and matchstick sized pieces of chicken and chopped carrots and peas letting them boil together.

While that cooked I made myself a cup of tea and finally allowed myself to grieve for my lost humanity. I have lost so many things in the past few months. My family, my clan, my home, and now my humanity, what do I have left? I suddenly feel a something pulling at my robe. Glancing down I see the dark eyed turtle look up at me his face holding a clear look of concern. He sits down on the floor continuing to look up at me before holding his arms out asking to be held. I smiled softly at him and obliged, letting his hands pad over my face and pull lightly on my ears before he wrapped his little arms around my neck giving me a hugs. Tears returned to my eyes at this, but this time they were happy ones. I may no longer have my wife or my daughter, or even my humanity. But I had four new sons, who needed me to be a father to them. They were all I truly had to live for. Smiling I hugged the child back, he had unknowingly given me the strength I needed. And now I knew what I should do.

Once the four of them were asleep I would seek out a new home for us. This apartment is safe for now, but it won't before long. I needed to find a place away from human kind, a place where they could grow strong in relative safety.

"Thank you… my son." I softly whisper in his ear.


End file.
